Beef on Weck

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http://www.delawareonline.com/article/2009...INESS/911220321

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http://www.delawareonline.com/article/2009...INESS/911220321

 

Looks poor...no evidence of adhering caraway seed, too much a concentration of kosher salt, no juice soaking the beef and the inside surfaces of the roll.

 

ATTENTION BFLO. EX-PATRIATES!

 

Try this; you will be very pleased.

 

Making very good home-made beef 'n weck is quite easy. Rump roast is best for the beef source. Larger cuts used to be named "steamship round". Never use an eye cut - no fat. Never use a rib cut - too much fat. Bake at 325 F for a temp of 130 or less (use that thermometer probe!). Reserve juices if you can, save them and add them to the au Jus mix. Let the beef cool completely under a foil tent, then into the icebox in a container.

 

Slice thin when cold.

 

Get decent rolls (never use a roll made with egg), brush with egg white top and bottom, and dust with caraway seed and kosher salt to taste. Put 'em under a pre-heated broiler, and watch'em very closely so they won't burn - that can happen in an instant.

 

Meanwhile, have one of those $1.25 powder envelopes of au Jus prepared on the stove, per package directions. Add any reserved juice to that.

 

Take the sliced beef out to the table, the saucepan with the hot au Jus, and your prepared rolls. Drop some beef into the pan, pull it out, and onto the open roll. Dip the top of the roll into it, or dispense juice with a spoon if that's your pleasure.

 

 

 

For the cooks out there who wish to make the old German kummelweck recipe - no longer commercially available AFAIK - the ones that involve potatoes, the leached starch, the seed included in the dough, and a double rise, here is the recipe:

 

Kummelweck Rolls. Makes 6.

 

1 x package of dry yeast. Do not use quick-rise

3/4 cup tepid potato water (80 - 100 F)

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup mashed potatoes. Don't add salt but do reserve the liquid

1/2 cup milk - skim, whole - doesn't matter

3 tbsp butter, melted

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp caraway seeds

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup bread flour

1 x egg white, beaten with 1 1/2 tsp water

x kosher salt for dusting

x caraway seeds for dusting

 

Procedures

 

1. Mix yeast with 1/4 cup of the tepid potato water and sugar in a separate bowl large enough to hold the remaining ingredients.

2. Combine mashed potatoes, remaining potato water, milk, butter, salt and caraway seeds in a separate bowl.

3. When yeast mixture is foamy, stir in the contents of 2., above. Add the flour, a cup at a time, stirring until dough comes away from bowl.

4. Turn out onto floured board and let rest while you clean and butter a bowl. Knead dough 10 minutes, adding flour if necessary to create a smooth dough. I use a mixer with dough hooks, on the lowest rotational setting.

5. Return to bowl and roll dough around to coat it with butter. Cover with a towel and let rise in warm place until double in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours. Punch dough down, knead again, flouring as needed, for 1-2 minutes. Roll out and divide into six pieces.

6. Form each piece into a smooth ball. Then flatten ball slightly so that it is roll shaped. Set 2 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

7. Cover loosely with towel and let rise until double in bulk, less than 1 hour.

8. Preheat oven to 375 F.

9. Make the star-shaped indentations with a spatula, and brush rolls with egg white mixture and sprinkle with desired amount of kosher salt and caraway seeds.

10. Bake 15 minutes, reduce heat to 325 F and bake 15-20 minutes, until rolls are medium brown.

11. Remove from oven and cool on baking rack.

 

Note: You can freeze the dough after the 1st rise - they aren't quite as voluminous, however.